Following My Heart
by Nikaya
Summary: A series of one-shots revolving most around Adrien and Lovesquare feels!
1. The Trial

The rain beat down on Chat Noir's back as he ran across the rooftops of Paris. He ignored the thunder drumming overhead and the lightning rippling through the dark of the clouds. His chest heaved with effort as he ran, vaulting overhead with his baton. He knew if he stopped moving, he wouldn't be able to get back up, so he pressed on.

There was no one for him to go to now; Ladybug and the other heroes of Paris had testified at the trial earlier that day, the _final _day, and the day of Hawkmoth's sentencing.

It was the day of his father's sentencing.

The trial was quick, only lasting three days and enough to get the testimony of all five heroes; Chat Noir was noticeably missing on the day of the sentencing. The rest of the testimonys were the Akuna victims and other citizens affected by the terrorizing of Paris.

The other presence noticeably absent from the trial was Adrien Agreste himself in the first two days. Most people figured that he was too emotional to come, too upset to believe his father had been the most wanted man in Paris, possibly the whole world. But on the final day of the trial, he came… he testified against his father, through tears and with vigor like no one had ever seen in the model teenager of Gabriel Agreste.

In the end, Adrien was awarded all estates and accounts of Gabriel Agreste upon his eighteenth birthday, and he was sentenced to life in prison. His guardianship went to Nathalie and as well as everything else until he came of age.

After the trial, Adrien snuck out through a back door and disappeared into the night to avoid the cameras and inevitable continued questioning by the press in the court of public opinion. He couldn't avoid them forever if he wanted to eventually return to school; he knew that. But for tonight, he would disappear.

And that was where Ladybug found him, staring up at the clouds, alone on a balcony of the Eiffel Tower.

"This is where it all started," she said quietly, so as not to startle him.

He didn't jump; he'd heard the zipping of her yo-yo before she landed. "It's where I fell in love." he replied.

She stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I know."

Chat Noir sighed before finally letting go, sobs wracking his body. His legs buckled as he fell into Ladybug's embrace. She wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could managed without hurting him.

Between the rain and the fact that he was sobbing into her shoulder, she almost didn't hear him say, "I have no one."

She then gripped him by the shoulders and forced him to step back from her. She stared straight into his eyes. "Chat Noir, I will _always_ be here. I will _always _love you. Do you understand that?"

Tears mingled with rain as he opened his mouth to reply.

Ladybug was quicker. She held up her index finger to shush him. "It's time."

His face scrunched in thought for an instance before realization dawned on his features. "My Lady…."

She took another step back. "Spots off."

When the magic dissipated, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng stood before him, Chat was ready to breakdown again for an entirely different reason. Air left his lungs when he stared back at her, wide-eyed. He blinked back tears and rain, his lips quivered when he spoke. "You _did_ come to the trial. You _were_ there."

She nodded and she rubbed his arm with the other hand. "I told you I would be."

He shook his head vigorously. "I'm so sorry I doubted you…. You really are the greatest friend I could ask for." He stepped forward and pulled her up into a hug, burying his face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of all that was Ladybug… Marinette… his princess and his lady. "I love you so much," he muttered into her hair.

"I love you too, Kitty."

He pulled back from his shoulders and looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. "You know who I am." It came out as a statement when he realized that she had to know from the way he was acting.

"Like I said, it's time."

He pulled her back to him as he whispered, "Claws in." Marinette relished in the scent of her boyfriend without the disguising magic he dawned whenever they were together. She gripped onto his clothes and pulled herself into him.

When they broke apart, she cupped his face with one hand. Adrien responded by leaning into it and purring louder than she'd ever heard him. He turned his face to press his lips into her palm before turning and taking her face in his hands. They both closed their eyes and leaned in to press together as they had so many times before. But this feeling was new. This touch was new. The lack of suits and secrets set them both on fire.

"I can't tell you how glad I am that you came," he said, playing with her hair, soaked from the rain.

"I wasn't the only one."

Before Adrien could say anything more, Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee appeared on the balcony with them.

All at once, the three other heroes released their transformations and smiled at Adrien and Marinette.

"Can we make this reunion quick? My hair is getting ruined!" Chloe complained.

"Uh, no one said you had to be here. Everyone already knows who you are." Alta pointed out,

"Yeah, well, I had to be here for my Adrikins!" she cooed.

"Aw give me a break," Nino said, "he's dating Ladybug - uh… _Marinette _anyway." He turned back to Adrien and Marinette. "Sorry we're late, guys. We had to talk to Master Fu first."

Adrien looked from Marinette back to his others friends and back to her again. "I'm dreaming. This can't be real."

Marinette giggled with a hand over her mouth. "It's real, Kitty. You have a family, and we're right here."

* * *

This turned out a lot more fluffy than angsty like I originally had planned! But I've been waited to have muse for this story for a _long _time. Like, before Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee were announced, long.

Anyway, I really wanted to give Nathalie a bittersweet ending before while she was also insane, she really was the one that cared about Adrien so I made it so that she will take over from here.

As for the love square, I made it so that Ladybug and Chat Noir eventually date, but before she finds out Adrien's identity. When exactly that happens, idk. Maybe she finally figured it out during the trial with either halves of Adrien being absent on different days. Or maybe Master Fu revealed it to her after the trial. Think whatever you want, but either way, she realized that Chat really did love her and mean it before they started dating and before identities were revealed. And this isn't because I prefer any corner of the lovesquare; I have stories planned for all sides of it, believe me. So stay tuned for more! You can follow me here or on Twitter, Tumblr, or Instagram!


	2. Stay

Marinette had seen the fall.

From stories up, Chat Noir had kept the fight on to allow Ladybug to finish the Miraculous Cure. It was at the moment that the Cure completed when she watched her partner fall out of the sky in horror.

Already out of magic, Ladybug ran to Chat's broken body and could do nothing but wait with him while Tikki recharges, _again._ The fight had been particularly bad, and Tikki would be nowhere near recovered soon.

So that was how Marinette ended up on her balcony, detransformed with Chat Noir, mangled and bloodied.

"M-Marinette…." His head was spinning both from the fall and the realization of who was in front of him. Tears cut through the blood and grime on his face. "I'm… I'm so happy."

She sputtered. "You knew?"

"No… I… I mean that I'm glad… that you're my Bugaboo."

More of her tears spilled over her cheeks as she cradled him closer, not caring for the blooming stains on her clothes. "Oh Chaton…. It's me. I'm your Lady."

He smiled - though wincing from the pain of his black eye - as his tail curled around her feet. He could only raise one arm to put on her back, his only way to comfort her in return. "Did I do good?"

"Yes," she said, her voice watery and cracking, "you did, Chaton."

"I'm glad."

"I n-need to patch you up," she said, carefully. She leaned back to assess the damage. Black eye, a deep cut on the forehead, possible broken arm, maybe a shoulder, a stab wound in his ribs… and that was just from an average perspective.

"I can't st-tay." His voice was hoarse with exhaustion now. "My father…."

He didn't need to finish the sentence because whoever Chat Noir's father was, he would have to wait for her to heal his son, and she knew he was likely going to collapse at any moment. "Please, you're injured. Just for tonight, stay."

Marinette could see distress cross his features for just an instant before it passed. He smiled against her embrace. "Okay."

Marinette visibly relaxed as she tried to help him up and get into her room. She grabbed his staff and extended it for him as a crutch at least to the stairs. She carefully lowered him - albeit with some grunting through the pain - down to the bed. His body eased at last as he took some shallow breaths.

"Marinette," he said, trying to pull her back to him but could only gently touch her wrist.

She turned back to him, "Kitty?"

He squeezed her hand. "It's me," he said, his eyes slipping shut. Before she could ask what that meant, his transformation began to drop, revealing his true identity at last. He opened his eyes, squinting through the blood. "It's Adrien."

If this were any other situation in which Adrien Agreste were in Marinette's bedroom, laying in her bed, whilst she was in her pajamas, she _might _have fainted. But it wasn't just a silly crush anymore. This was her partner, her _Chaton_, that needed her.

Her mouth parted for a moment, forgetting the bandages as her heart leapt up into her throat. "Adrien…" she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Mari. I… I wanted to know who you were for so long…. I didn't realize… I'd pushed you away… I…." His tears welled up in his eyes again and threatened to spill over.

"Shhh," she said, curling up beside him and gently pulling him into her lap. "Rest now. You're safe, and there's nothing to be sorry for."

"Mmm…" he said, no longer fighting for consciousness. She was right; he was safe, and he could rest. "I saved my beautiful Lady. My Ladybug. My… Marinette."

Though she was well aware that he could likely no longer hear nor see her, her face reddened but softened at his words. She pressed a kiss to his head. "My Chaton."


End file.
